Hello, I’m Michelle Danks - a wildlife conservationist, nonprofit founder, and storyteller devoted to protecting the wild places and species that make our world so amazing!

My conservation journey started in 2011 when I served as the Development and Marketing Director for a CA-based nonprofit working to protect Gorillas in Uganda and the Monarch butterflies of Mexico. Fast forward to 2017, I moved to Malawi, one of Africa’s most biodiverse yet threatened countries, to serve as the International Communications Manager for Lilongwe Wildlife Trust. There, I witnessed firsthand the urgent need for support on the front lines of wildlife rescue and it changed everything.

One moment, in particular, became the heartbeat of my mission: on my 39th birthday, I saw a wild elephant moving quietly through the tall grass. Vulnerable, majestic, and unaware of how many threats stood against him. That day, I made a silent promise: “I will spend the rest of my life protecting you and other endangered wildlife.”

Last year, I honored that promise by founding Emergency Wildlife Rescue (EWR) - a San Diego-based nonprofit that supports emergency wildlife rescue and rehabilitation efforts across Africa. EWR provides vital funding, resources, and strategic support to help care for orphaned, injured, and endangered animals, while empowering the local conservation teams who do this work daily.

I hold a bachelor's degree in Journalism & Media Studies from the University of Nevada - Las Vegas (UNLV) and a Masters in Professional Science (MPS) in Wildlife Conservation & Management from Unity Environmental University. 

Today, I continue to build EWR as a platform for impact, education, and global connection - advocating for the animals whose stories must be told and the people who work to protect them.

I'd love to hear from you! Please reach out and let's connect to protect wildlife and wild places. 

- Michelle